January 18, 2001

RinkChat, NH - With the first round of voting for the RinkAwards only in its third day, contenders for the program's 24 awards are already on the campaign trail.

Although campaigning for awards seems to some to run contrary to the spirit of an awards program, many contenders feel their chances won't be promising unless they can stay in the forefront of voters' minds. "It's just the way things work," said a RinkAward contender who preferred to remain anonymous. "Nobody likes to say so, but quiet nominees just don't win. You have to get the attention of voters."

Since the RinkAwards opened, numerous incidents of award campaigning have been reported. RinkChat fan Faux Pas of New Jersey has openly campaigned for the RinkChat Archive "Safari" on numerous occasions. "Vote Safari Party," Pas is quoted as saying. Pas is eligible for four separate awards associated with the "Safari" archive, including Best Male Comic Improvisor and Best First Appearance in an Archive.

Not all award campaigning is self-oriented. Another RinkChat fan, Beasty of England, campaigns not for himself but for another. "VOTE SAKURA" Beasty has said repeatedly in RinkChat. Beasty is not eligible for any RinkAwards himself.

BurgerKing, of Canada, has taken to the campaign trail to prevent himself from winning. "DON'T VOTE FOR BURGERKING!" King said in RinkChat Wednesday.

Today, RinkAward contenders Issachar and Darien K. Dreamweaver, both of the USA, denied charges that a sequel episode to the "BatDarien vs. the Jokestah" archive was a publicity stunt to garner votes for it, which may have faded from voters' memories in the year since it came out. The sequel episode featured the return of BatDarien, this time pitted against the Riddlah, played by Issachar, who helmed the character of the Jokestah in the original archive.

"[Campaigning for awards] would undermine the entire principle of an objective awards ceremony," Dreamweaver said in response to charges that BatDarien vs. the Riddlah was a vote-getting enterprise. "The fact that it happened so close to the awards ceremony, at which 'BatDarien vs. the Jokestah' is up for several awards, is totally coincidental."